The Indian men's hockey team is having a dream run at the Asian Games 2023 having scored 36 goals in their first three matches. They are currently on top of Pool A but their toughest test of prowess at the competition will be on Saturday when they lock horns with arch-rivals Pakistan.
The India vs Pakistan hockey rivalry is one of the ages. India has held the upper hand in recent encounters between the two teams and aims to maintain their dominance at the Hangzhou Asian Games. The match will be played at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Stadium in Hangzhou, the People's Republic of China on Saturday, September 30.
Clash of the Titans
Clubbed in the same group at the Hangzhou Asian Games, the Indian men's hockey team, ranked third in the world, is leading Pool A in points, ahead of Pakistan, which is ranked 15th in the world. Both teams have secured three wins in three matches, with India leading on goal difference.
In this format, each team plays five matches within their respective groups. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.
Building on their success at the Asian Champions Trophy last month in Chennai, the Indian men's hockey team, India launched their campaign with an impressive 16-0 victory over Uzbekistan and continued their strong performance with a 16-1 win against Singapore.
The Men in Blue next put up a great show against the defending champions, Japan, by thrashing them 4-2. This win marked a crucial milestone for the Indian team as they seek only their fourth gold medal in the tournament's history and aim for a direct qualification to the Paris Olympics.
Pakistan too have put up a solid performance at the games so far. India have scored 36 goals and conceded just thrice while Pakistan have netted 34 times and conceded four.
Pakistan's Arbaz Ahmed is currently the highest goal-scorer in the men's hockey tournament at the Asian Games 2023, securing nine goals. On the other hand, Varun Kumar and Mandeep Singh share the top-scoring position for India, each having netted six goals.
Head-to-Head
In the history of Asian Games, a total of 15 hockey matches have been played between India and Pakistan. India emerged victorious in four of these encounters, while Pakistan secured eight wins. Three matches ended in a draw.
During the previous Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018, India won against Pakistan with a score of 2-1 in the bronze medal match. The most recent meeting of the two teams was at the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai in August, where India defeated Pakistan with a score of 4-0.
Here's how to watch the India vs Pakistan men's hockey match at the Asian Games 2023.
When and Where
The India vs Pakistan match will be played at 6:15 pm IST on September 30, 2023 at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Stadium in Hangzhou, China.
Where to Watch
The India vs Pakistan men's hockey match will be broadcast on the Sony Sports Network. Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 1 HD, Sony Sports Ten 2, Sony Sports Ten 2 HD, Sony Sports Ten 3, Sony Sports Ten 3 HD, Sony Sports Ten 4, Sony Sports Ten 4 HD, Sony Sports Ten 5, and Sony Sports Ten 5 HD TV are the channels where you can catch all the action.
How to Live Stream
The India vs Pakistan men's hockey match at the Asian Games 2023 hockey matches will be streamed live on Sony LIV.
